Portable ladder for gathering fruit.



W. E. SW'ENGEL. PORTABLE LADDER FOR GATHERING FRUIT.

APPLICATION FILED 111 11.22, 1911.

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WILLARD E.

SWENGEL, OF ST.

JOHNS, OREGON.

PORTABLE LADDER FOR GATHERING FRUIT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLARD E. SWENGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Johns, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Ladders for Gathering Fruit, of which the fol lowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in portable ladders for fruit picking and for other purposes and has for its object to provide a ladder of this character that can be used for thining fruit, pruning and spraying fruit trees.

Another object is to provide a ladder of this class that can be quickly folded into a compact form ready for moving about, storing away or shipping.

Another object is to provide a ladder together with ahorizontally disposed platform which, in connection with a wheeled truck, may be adjusted to suit irregularities in the surface of the ground, side hills, etc.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will possess advantages in points of efliciency, durability, is inex pensive of manufacture and at the same time being simple in construction .and operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction, the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved ladder, parts being broken away and in section; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the supporting rods. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the adjustable stay, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sectional views.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 indicates the lower platform formed of the side beams 2 and the cross boards 3 having their ends secured to the side beams 2. Pivoted to the beams 2 near one end thereof is a ladder 4., said ladder being pivoted to the beams by means of the rod 5 running through said beams and the legs of the ladder. The outer ends of the beams 2 are tapered down to form suitable handles 6 for moving the ladder about from place to place. Pivoted to the outer ends .of the beams 2 are the supporting standards 7 bearing upon the axle 8, by having the axle pass through openings in the standards.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 22, 1911.

platform in place.

Patented Jan. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 622,689.

Mounted upon each end of the axle are the wheels 10, each wheel being held upon the axle by the cotter pin 11 which can be removed, and the wheels can be quickly and easily removed from the axle when it is so desired.

The top of the ladder 4 is provided with the studs 12 adapted to fit into openings 13 formed in the upper platform 1land thumb nuts 15 threaded on said studs to hold the The studs 12 are formed integral with the caps 16 which are adapted to fit over the top end of each side rail of the ladder andsecured in any desired manner.

The platform 14 is adapted to have one end rest upon the top of. the ladder 4: and project out and rest upon the top of the supporting standards 7 said supporting standards having their upper ends spacedapart and held in position by the rod 17. The outer end of the platform is provided with a plurality of openings 18, adapted to receive the upper end 19 of the adjustable stay post 20, said post comprising two telescoping members 21 and 22, the lower member 21 having its upper end hollow to receive the lower end of the upper member 22 which is held in any position by means of the thumb screw28. A flange 24 is formed upon the member 22 near the top end thereof and adapted to engage the under side of the platform 14 so that the end of the platform will not slide down on the post, and the lower end of the post is tapered off so it can be readily set in the ground. The openings 18 in the end of the platform are provided so that when setting it up, if a limb of the tree happens to be in the way the post can be placed in either one so as to avoid the limb.

The ladder can be readily set in an upright position when used on rough surfaces or on the hill side by means of the adjustable extensions 25 secured to the lower end of the ladder, said extensions being held securely to the ladder by the clamps 26 which are secured to the extensions by means of a bolt 27 and the side posts of the ladder sliding in said clamps and held in any desired position by the set screws 28. To hold the ladder in a securely upright position, the brace rods 29 are provided, having one end forked as indicated at 30 to engage over the axle 8 and the other end bent upon itself to form a hook 31 adapted to be engaged in upper end of said rods having hooks formed the eye screw 32 secured in the upper end of the side posts of the ladder.

It will be readily apparent from the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that a portable ladder in accordance with my invention, would be extremely useful to all fruit growers or others desiring such a ladder as this. It will be seen that it can be folded into compact form for storing or shipping and can be easily and quickly set up into position for use.

WVhile I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention it will be obvious that various changes in the details of construction and in the proportions may be resorted to for successfully carrying my invention into practice without sacrificing any of the novel features or departing from the scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a platform having upright standards pivoted to one end, said platform comprising two beams having cross boards secured theretov and suitable handles formed on the outer end of the beams, a ladder pivoted at its lower end to said beams, brace rods provided with a forked lower end to engage over an axle disposed through the lower ends of said upright standards, the

thereon to engage in eye screws secured to the ladder and a second platform disposed on said ladder and upright standards.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a platform having upright standards pivoted to one end, an axle disposed through said standardsand wheels mounted on each end thereof, a ladder havv ing its lower end pivoted to the platform, adjustable extensions secured to the lower end of said ladder, studs provided on the top of said ladder, a second platform engaging over said studs and disposed out upon the upright standards and an adjustable supporting post having'its upper end disposed in the outer end of'the second platform, the lower end set in the ground and a flange formed on the upper end to keep the second platform up in position.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a platform, upright standards pivoted to one end, suitable handles provided on the outer end, a ladder pivotally mounted on said platform, a second platform having one end engaged upon the upper end of the ladder and disposed out upon the upright standards, an adjustable supporting post disposed under the outer end of the secondplatfori'n, said-post comprising two telescoping members, the lower member having its upper end hollow to receive the lower end of the upper member, and a set screw disposed through the lower member and adapted to engage the upper member to hold the same in any desired position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLARD", E. 's'wENeEL.

\Vitnesses V S. D. JAoKsoN,

W. F. SOUTHWORTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

